Feeding apparatus for boilers.



No. 862,271. PATENTED AUG. 6, 1907.

E. NASHOLD.

FEEDING APPARATUS FOR BOILERS.

, APPLIOATION FILED .JAN.16, 190a.

ELIAS NASHOLD, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

FEEDING APPARATUS FOR BOILERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 6, 1907.

Application filed January 15,1906. Serial No. 296,055.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIAS NAsI-IQLD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Automatic Water-FeedingApparatus for Boilers, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates particularly to an apparatus for automaticallyfeeding water into steam boilers and maintaining a definite level in theboiler. The apparatus, however, is capable of other uses, such asfeeding oil or water into tanks The main object of the invention is toprovidean apparatus for the above purpose which will be reliable inoperation and which will not be injuriously affected by changes oftemperature due to the passage of steam therethrough. 4

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for thispurpose which will be extremely simple and cheap in construction.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a section onthe line x -x in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section through the watercontrolling valve devices. Fig. 4 is a plan of the water connections.Fig. 5 is a section of the steam valve.

1 designates a wall of a boiler or tank and 2 a water pipe, or generallya source of water supply being, for example a service pipe connected toa supply tank. The apparatus constituting the present invention isadapted to feed or transfer the water from said supply into the boileror tank automatically so as to maintain a definite level in the tank.Said apparatus comprises a rocking frame or beam 3 mounted by trunnionsor pivots 4 on a frame or support 5. Said beam may consist of a channeliron fastened by bolts 6 to an axle 7, whose ends are formed as thetrunnions 4 turning in bearings 8 on the frame 5. On each end or arm ofthis rocking beam or lever is mounted a tank 10, each tank beingfastened to the beam 3 by a nipple 11 screwing through the beam andcommunicating into the tank, the respective nipples 11 being connectedby pipes 12 with the opposite ends of a valve cylinder 13. A pipe 14leads from the water supply 2 to the valve means 13. A pipe 15 leadsfrom the valve deviceto the boiler at or below the water level, and apipe 16 is connected with the steam space of the boiler and with therespective tanks 10, all of these pipes being flexible so as to permitof the vibratory movement of the apparatus. Steam pipe 16 communicatesthrough a three-way valve 17 into two pipes 18 leading to the respectivetanks 10, the said pipes 18 opening into the upper ends of said tanks.The three-way valve 17 is constructed to open connection alternativelyto said pipes 18 and is operated automatically by the rocking movementof the. apparatus, having an arm 20 connected by a link or rod 21 to afixed point on the arm 5, so that as the beam rocks, the arm 20 will beswung one way or the other.

The valve means 13 for controlling the water connections consists of acylinder having two end chambers 22 and an intermediate chamber 23, saidintermediate chamber being connected by a pipe 24 to the water supply 14aforesaid, and each end chamber 22 having a connection by a pipe 12 toone of the tanks 10, and a connection by a pipe 25 including a checkvalve 25 to the water outlet pipe 15 leading to the boiler. A valve orclosure member 26 is pivotally mounted in each chamber 22 to move intoand out of closure relation with the openings of outlet pipes 25. Inletports 27 are provided in the walls between the inner and outer chambers23, 22, said inlet ports being also controlled by the said valves 26, toenable the valve member 26 to accommodate itself to the seats of theinlet and outlet ports. Said valve is carried by and pivoted on an arm28 carried by a rock shaft 29, journaled in and extending through agasket or stufiingbox 29 in the walls of the valve cylinder 13. Theconnection or bearing of the valve in this arm, by a pin 30, issufficiently loose to enable the valve to have a limited free movementin conforming to its seat. Rock shaft 29 carries exteriorly of the valvecylinder an operating arm 31, the respective operating arms 31 beingconnected by screw links 32 with a block or head 33 adjustably connectedwith a bar 34, pivoted at 34 on a lever 35, pivoted at 35 to the frame5. On the part connected to the rocking beam, for example, on the axle7, are fixed two projections, lugs or arms 36, 37 engaging respectivelyin notches in the upper ends of the bar 34 and the lever 35to cause acompound lever action in the rocking of said apparatus.

Means are provided for holding the rocking frame from accidental orpremature movement, so that positive operation thereof will be insureddue to accumulation of a definite amount of water. Such means consistsof an arm 38 pivoted at 38 to the beam 3 and having shoulders orrecessed portions 39 engaging over or under a cross bar 40 on the fixedframe 5. There is a bar 40 at each end of the frame, said bar serving asa stop for the frame in its rocking movement. A weight 41 is adjustablymounted on this retaining arm as by screwing in or out on a screw stud42 on said arm to adjust the pressure with which the arm bears on thepin aforesaid.

In the above described apparatus, each tank as it empties into theboiler becomes filled with steam from the boiler, and in the reversedirection as the water flows into the tank to fill the same, itdisplaces the steam, and means are provided to allow of escape of thesteam, said means consisting of a float valve in the top of the tank, aplug 45 being screwed into the tank and having a bore in which slides aslide valve 46 hav- 1 ing a longitudinal slot or passage 47communicating with the outer air, the lower end of this slide valvehaving a float 49 attached thereto so that when the water rises it willelevate the valve to bring a shoulder thereon in contact with a seat inthe plug. The valve and float are of sufficient weight to insure theopening of the valve in the reverse operation of the device.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:Assuming that the apparatusis in the position shown in Fig. 1 the lever devices 34 35 hold thewater valves in the position shown in Fig. 3 so that communication isestablished from the supply pipe 2 through pipes 14 and 24 to theintermediate chamber 23 and thence through the port 27 into the lefthand chamber 22 which is in communication through one of the pipes 12with the left hand tank 10, this being the uppermost tank at that time.The valve 26 of the other chamber 22 closes the port 27 to said chamberand opens the outlet port to the pipe 25 leading through a check valve25 to the outlet pipe 15 in communication with the boiler. The steamvalve 17 is in the position shown in Fig. 5, establishing communicationfrom steam pipe 16 through said valve to the pipe 18 leading to the topof the right hand tank 10, said tank 10 being thus in communication withthe boiler, both above and below the water level; the level of the waterin said tank will therefore be the same as that in the boiler. The watersupply being turned on at the service pipe 2, the water will flowthrough the pipes 14 and 24, intermediate chamber 23, port 27, chamber22, pipe 12 and nipple 11 to the left hand tank 10, the float valve 46being at that time in open position so as to allow escape of air orsteam in the upper part of the tank as it is displaced by the water.This will continue until the tank 10 is filled, whereupon the floatvalve will be raised by the float 49 and will close the vent from thetank, whereupon the flow of water will cease. As the water in the boilerevaporates, the water level is correspondingly lowered and the waterruns from the right hand tank 10, the water level falling in said tankin correspondence with that in the boiler. Finally, when the right handtank 10, is about empty, the full tank at the left hand side willover-balance the same,-this action being retarded as much as desirableby the action of the retaining or holding device 38, 40. Thisoverbalancing' of the rocking frame will operate through the link 21 tothrow the steam valve to cut off steam communication to the right handtank and establish communication to the left hand tank, which thenbecomes the lowermost tank. At the same time the lugs 36, 37 on therocking frame act on the lever 35 and bar 34 to throw the operating arms29 .of the valve operating rock shafts by compound lever action so as tomove the right hand valve to position to close the outlet and open theinlet port to the right hand chamber 22 and to close the inlet andoutlet port to the left hand chamber 22, thus reversing the waterconnections and putting the left hand tank, which now becomes the lowertank, in communication with the boiler, both above and below the waterlevel. As each tank fills and steam is admitted to the top thereof, thesteam pressure will I hold the float valve or vent closed, but when theframe overbalances and the tank rises, the steam is cut off and thefloat valvefalls by its own weight, the jar due to the rocking beam orframe striking the stop bars 40, insuring that the valve will freeitself from its seat. The check valves 25 in pipes 25 prevent the backpressure from the boiler from reaching to the valves in the device 13.

What I claim is 1. In a water feeding apparatus for steam boilers, arocking frame, a fixed support therefor, tanks carried by said frame, avalve having a water supply connection, an outlet and inlet connectionto each tank, and an outlet connection to the boiler, means forautomatically operat ing' said valve by the rocking of the frame, asteam pipe connected to the boiler, a three-way valve connected to saidpipe and to the tanks,-and a link connected to a fixed support and tothe three-way valve to operate the latter in the rocking movement of theframe.

2. In a water feeding apparatus, a rocking frame, a fixed supporttherefor, tanks carried by said rocking frame, water supply and outletpipes, and a valve means connected to said pipes comprising an inletchamber connected to the supply pipe, two valve chambers having inletports communicating with the inlet chamber, and having outletcommunications provided with check valves, a rocking valve in eachchamber movable to close either the inlet or the outlet port thereof, apipe leading from each of said valve chambers to one of the tanks, andmeans for automatically operating the valves in the rocking movement ofthe frame.

3. ,In a water feeding apparatus, a rocking frame, a fixed supporttherefor, tanks carried by said rocking frame, water supply and outletpipes, and a valve means connected to said pipes comprising an inletchamber connected to the supply pipe, two valve chambers having inletports communicating with the inlet chamber, and having outletcommunications provided with check valves, a rocking valve in eachchamber movable to close either the inlet or the outlet port thereof, apipe leading from each of said valve chambers to one of the tanks, andmeans for auto matically operating the valves in the rocking movement ofthe frame comprising a lever pivoted to the fixed support, a bar pivotedto said lever, means on the rocking frame en gaging said lever and barand means connecting the bar to the respective valves aforesaid.

4. In a water feeding apparatus, a rocking frame, a fixed supporttherefor, tanks carried by said rocking frame, water supply and outletpipes, and a valve means connected to said pipes comprising an inletchamber connected to the supply pipe, two valve chambers having inletports communicating with the inlet chambers, and having outletcommunications provided with check valves, a rocking valve in eachchamber movable to close either the inlet or the outlet port thereof, apipe leading from each of said valve chambers to one of the tanks, andmeans for automatically operating the valves in the rocking movement ofthe frame comprising lever means operated by said rocking frame, andadjustable connections between said lever means and the said valves.

5. In a water feeding apparatus, a rocking frame, a fixed supporttherefor, tanks carried by said rocking frame, water supply and outletpipes, and a valve means con nected to said pipes comprising an inletchamber connected to the supply pipe, two valve chambers having inletports communicating with the inlet chamber, and having outletcommunications provided with check valves, a rocking valve in eachchamber movable to close either the inlet or the outlet port thereof, apipe leading from each of said valve chambers to one of the tanks, andmeans for automatically operating the valves in the rocking movement ofthe frame, a pivoted valve carrying arms on which the valve is looselymounted to adapt itself to the seats of the inlet and outlet.

6. In combination with a steam boiler, an automatic water feedingapparatus therefor comprising a rocking frame, a fixed support on whichsaid frame rocks, two tanks supported thereon, on opposite sides of therocking bearing thereof, a steam pipe connected to the boiler, and avalve controlling communication therefrom alternately to the respectivetanks, a water supply pipe, valve means conmovement until a certainweight of water accumulates in the tank and a Weight adjustablyconnected to said arm means to each tank and operating both as an inletand as to adjust the pressure with which the frame engages with anoutlet pipe for the tank, the said valve means establish said fixedretaining means.

neeted thereto, an outlet pipe leading from said valve 1 l 5 ingcommunication alternatively to the said pipes .from the i In testimonywhereof, I have hereunto set my hand at 15 l I means to the boiler, anda pipe leading from said valve Water supply and from the outlet to theboiler, and means Los Angeles, California, this 6th day of January,1906. for operating said valves automatically on rocking move- ELIASNASHOLD. ment of the frame, an arm pivoted to the rocking frame andhaving shoulders, and fixed means for engaging said 10 shoulders tofrictionally retain the rocking frame from In presence of ARTHUR P.KNIGHT, VERNA A. TALBERT.

